November 2014 Wrap-Up

November was a very strange month for reading because of NaNoWriMo. I'd planned on just writing a smaller amount then normal and take time to write and read - but I forgot how addictive over achieving is. So that plan, quickly, dissolved.

• The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle #1) by Maggie Stiefvater (5/5)
• Click-Clack the Rattlebag by Neil Gaiman (4/5)
• Hawkeye, Vol 3: LA Women by Matt Fraction (5.5)
• Hawkeye: #13, #15, #17, #19 by Matt Fraction, and illustrator/artists (4/5)
• The Wicked and the Divine #3 by Kieron Gillen (4/5)
• The Dream Thieves (Raven Cycle #2) by Maggie Stiefvater (5/5)
• White Cat (Curse Workers #1) by Holly Black (5/5)
• Red Gloves (Curse Workers #2) by Holly Black (5/5)
• Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black (5/5)
• Chew, Vol. 3: Just Desserts by John Layman (4/5)
• Howls' Moving Castle (Howl's Moving Castle #1) Diana Wynne Jones (5/5)
• Three to Ride by Sophie Oaks (2/5)
• Siren Beloved (Texas Sirens #4) by Sophie Oaks (3/5)
• No Plot? No Problem: Revised and Expanded by Chris Baty (5/5)
• The Siren (The Original Sinners #1) by Tiffany Reisz (4/5)
• Wallbanger (Cocktail #1) by Alice Clayton
• Girl in Love (Kylie Ryans #3) by Caisey Quinn
• An On Dublin Street Christmas (#1.1) by Samantha Young
• Until Fountain Bridge (On Dublin Street #1.5) by Samantha Young

If I've counted right, I read 22 things this month. Considering it was NaNoWriMo and I also wrote 300k+ words, I'm very pleased with this. A few were single issue comics, and I think I won't count them towards my reading challenge on goodreads last year. I can't decide (any opinions?)

Anyway - I really enjoyed quite a few of the books I read this month, even though it feels like I read some of them months ago, instead of just a month ago. Stills, out of all of these books, I'd have to say The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves were my favorite - I'm loving this series and I can't wait to read the third on. They're incredible and I'm still surprised at how hard I feel for these books.

The Hawkeye comics are also pretty incredible, I'm loving them and am in denial about them ending (two issues left right? Or is it over? I don't want to check). And the Curse Workers series was really good, and I marathoned them in like eight hours, I think. Howl's Moving Castle was breathtaking and the fantasy world was incredible. Though, I do think I enjoy the movie more, which is rare, but it's just so good (I watched that, in full, for the first time this month as well).

I also read some predictable romance, towards the end, just because I was feeling so burnt out. On everything. Writing, reading, I couldn't even try to watch a TV show. I'm still kind of in that mood, so the beginning of December will probably be filled with some romance - but I can't fault them. Sometimes you just need some light, fluffy stuff to read, right?

How did your month go? Reading and otherwise? Have you read any of these books and how did you feel? I hope you had a great month! And my December TBR(ish) post should be up tomorrow).

November TBR

I was, actually, considering not even making a post because NaNoWriMo - but I want to read this month and not just write. I want to write a lot and I have some ridiculous writing goals, but it's also a goal of mine to keep reading. And reading can help me write something, just to get out of my own head.

Saying that - I don't really know what I'm going to read, saying that. I'm still kind of in the horror mood, because I didn't get to read as much horror as I would of liked - but I also have a stack of recent releases that I've preordered and am super excited for all of them. Examples: Lock In by Scalzi (Old Man's War had cemented my love for him, saying that I could read The Ghost Brigades), Every Breath by Ellie Marney, Grace Helbig's book, Illusions of Fate, The Iron Trial, Snow Like Ashes - just a giant pile of books I want/need to get to because it's getting ridiculous and slightly terrifying.

And I'd like to read more of the Lovecraft book I'm working through and finished The Shining Girls, because it doesn't look like I'm going to be able to this month and I was really loving it. And also - graphic novels. I went on a bit of a graphic novel buying binge this month and I had bought some - and now I just have a backlog of them that is too big. So I'd like to read a few of them and they're quick, easy reads that are also fantastic and beautiful, so there are literally no downsides to them.

Also, I'm going to say it now, I don't know how much I'll be posting this month. I meant to pre-write a bunch of posts like an organized, mature, adult, and then life came out of fucking nowhere and I just haven't had the time or the energy to do it. It's been an insanely busy month and I've been exhausted, just worn out, for a very large chunk of it.

And November isn't going to make me feel less exhausted, by any stretch of the imagination. Hopefully, I'll be posting some stuff and I'd like to post weekly kind of 'wrap-ups' about my writing for NaNoWriMo. Though, of course, I'll be posting daily stats updates on my new Tumblr NaNo blog - I'll also probably be tweeting constantly.

If you're participating in NaNo - let me know! This is scheduled to go up the second so it's already started - off to a good start? Make sure to try and get ahead this first week to prepare for week two blues. (Also if you want to be my buddy on the site).